I recently read Z for Zachariah for the first time. First published in the UK in 1975 this book is written from the perspective of a 16 year old girl surviving in an isolated valley post a global nuclear war.


The title relates to a chlidren's book mention in the story that lists Christian terms from A to Z, with Zachariah being the last term in the book. Zachariah is an old testament profit who is attributed to having written the book of Zachariah, the second last book of the old testament. Zachariah means “God remembered”. The book of Zachariah's main theme is despite it being really bad now, God will triumph.


The novel Z for Zachariah explores a range of issues associated with survivalism including maintaining animals, crops and seed stocks, limitations of stock piles, obtaining fuel, radiation sickness, bug-out plans, alternative refuges, security, and people issues. The main theme of the book is the interaction between the young girl and a fellow survivor who makes his way into her valley.


I would would recommend the book for a read for any prepper but particularly for exposing young teens to survival and prepping issues. What annoyed me about the book, and I should say here: SPOILER ALERT so please SKIP TO NEXT PARAGRAPH NOW, was the archetypal representation of the young girl as the fount of Christian virtue in the form of a pacifist, specifically her refusal to do physical harm to her antagonist in the face of extreme violence. Personally I am not a pacifist so find the theme that pacifism in the face of violence and threat is some how a “good” thing quite irritating.


The book has also been made into a movie of the same title released in 2015. The movie includes the actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, who is one of my favourite actors after his portrayal of “the operative” in Serenity, and Australian actress Margot Robbie, and Chris Pine (the new Kirk) each of whom put in good performances.


The movie has no internal monologue and thus moves immediately to the meeting between the young girl, who's now in her early 20's rather than teens, and the arriving stranger. This allows the plot to to be driven by dialogue and character interactions and requires the watcher to deduce the characters motives. The movie focuses on different themes (SPOILER ALERT – SKIP PARAGRAPH) for example de-emphasising a pre-emptive approach to “stranger danger” but instead spends more time on issues of relationship conflicts and desire as well as a bigger focus on religion. This is largely by splitting the original character of the stranger into two separate characters. At this point the book and the movie completely depart plots and many of the more interesting elements of the book are lost including a significant focus on radiation sickness and the plucky self reliance of the young girl in the face of severe adversity.


The book and the movie are different enough to warrant exploring both, though I would say the book would be better for people looking for a general overview of survival issues, while the movie explores (SPOILER) potential conflict over limited partners if people hold onto a need for monogamous relationships. I would probably watch the movie first as I think the book is the stronger of the two and you might find you enjoy the movie more without looking for the detail and plot that is left out.


Take look at these sites to find about more acute radiation syndrome. Both sites approach the issues differently and are worth looking at:
http://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation/arsphysicianfactsheet.asp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_radiation_syndrome


The type of scenario depicted in Z for Zachariah implies the wide spread detonation of nuclear weapons at ground level which creates significant levels of radio active fall out creating hot spots that can remain deadly for years.


If you want to watch a classic movie which explores the situation in the lead up to and after a nuclear attack consider “Threads” the 1984 award winning movie made in Britain – possibly the best movie ever on nuclear war.
https://vimeo.com/18781528


Have a look at how Australians were used as guinea pigs for British Nuclear tests. http://www.foe.org.au/anti-nuclear/issues/oz/britbombs/marston


If your are interested in exploring the issues of monogamy vs polygamy etc. a place you might like to start is with this humorous ABC Radio National - Science Show titled “Is monogamy unnatural?” This lecture may not have all the answers but will help you understand why humans may not naturally be monogamous and get you thinking about issues you and your group might face in a post collapse world.
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/scienceshow/is-monogamy-unnatural3f/5516302

As part of the CST courses I run, I have developed a collapse index to help people understand different categories of collapse and where on the scale of severity the particular event or events they are preparing for sits.

There are five basic categories of collapse identified.

1. Regional Collapse
2. Global Disruption
3. Global Technological Failure
4. Global Ecological Failure
5. Global Apocalypse

The first relates to a collapse confined to a region. The second level relates to short term collapses or partial collapses of a global scale. The third relates to a technological collapse. The forth relates to food systems decline. The fifth relates to a combination of rapid and simultaneous social, food and technological collapse.

In the info graphic I also include references to emergencies and disasters, which are collapse like events but on the personal, community or regional scale AND where short term help and medium to long term recovery is available and forthcoming.

The index focuses on three drivers of collapse: social system failure, technological system failure and ecological system decline. Calculation of severity assumes food productions is more important for survival then technological systems and both are more important than social systems.

In our CST courses we use this index to put the type of events we are preparing for in a boarder framework. We then discuss the general preparation needed to deal with each level of collapse. Once people see which category they have prepared for they can see in broad terms what other events their preparation covers.

If you find the index useful please feel free to use and reference the index.

THE WHITEHEAD COLLAPSE INDEX

LEVEL 1 – REGIONAL COLLAPSE

Level 1 collapses are confined to geographic or political regions. Effects of similar events vary depending on internal and external resources available to the region to respond to the event. In many cases regional events are simply disasters as the region, country or world responds effectively providing immediate support and medium and long term recovery efforts. Where support is not forthcoming events can result regional collapses

Causes of regional collapse could include:

1. war or revolution
2. extreme drought
3. extreme weather
4. regimes imposing starvation, ethnic persecution or genocide
5. regional scale nuclear EMP attack

LEVEL 2 – GLOBAL SOCIAL DISRUPTION

Some preppers may be surprised that the particular event they are preparing for is only a level 2 event, however these collapse events are relatively short term and are recoverable once the event has passed. I have divided this level of event up into two subcategories.

Level 2A: Global Systems Failure

Global social systems failures are “soft” collapse events, in that though potentially having severe to extreme consequences during the event they are inherently recoverable as the both the physical technology and ecology we rely are largely unaffected.

For example a liquid fuel shortage may require extreme rationing and effect all parts of our economy but we can replace our dependency on oil based transport given enough time with anything from electric cars and trucks to a massively expanded electric light and heavy rail system, to limited bio-fuels or as a worst case massive coal to oil projects or a combination of.

Likewise our global economic system is just as series of human made systems invented in our heads, recorded electronically or on paper and maintain by human and electronic systems. If it fails can be rebuild it and even redesigned a new system to avoid future collapses.

Included in this subcategory are events that could cause systems disruption due to a minor population collapse from for example a global viral pandemic that lasts one or two years.

Causes of a level 2A collapse could include:

1. economic collapse
2. global viral pandemic
3. liquid fuel shortage
4. slow zombies

Level 2B: Global Population Collapse

This is the worst case version of a level two collapse. In this scenario there would be an unprecedented global die off caused by some as yet to be seen super lethal virus or if we look to the realm of fantasy fiction, a fast zombie outbreak.

In this case most systems will fail simply because the people are not there to maintain them or press buttons and as most of our systems are interlinked we see failure spread and multiply once one part fails.

We will also see significant destruction due to people not being around to deal with emergencies such as putting out fires. Potentially we could see large parts of rural and urban areas destroyed as fires jump from building to building or as bush fires burn out of control.

Given time even these events can be recovered from as the population rebuilds because the ecology is still intact and surviving technical systems still work or can be restarted.

Causes of a level 2B collapse could include:

1. super lethal viral pandemic
2. fast zombies

LEVEL 3 – TECHNOLOGICAL FAILURE

A level three collapse occurs when the technology we rely on to maintains our key systems such as food growing and distribution, finance and commerce, manufacturing, sewage, communication etc etc fail. Natural ecological processes are unaffected or only marginally effected. The impacts of a global technological collapse are likely to be severe as food production and distribution systems fail. Isolated areas of the globe which produce a surplus of food using primitive technologies may be relatively unaffected while the rest of the world is thrown into chaos as populations fight to control limited food supplies and production.

Causes of a level 3 collapse could include:

1. solar flare
2. limited nuclear war with wide spread use of EMP attacks

LEVEL 4 – ECOLOGICAL FAILURE

Fundamental to our survival is our ability to grow food. If our food systems failed there would be an immediate global die of massive proportions. We are currently facing a series of potential food related collapse scenarios. Most are gradual food system declines which still offer us the hope of addressing these events before they progress to far.

Ecological failure can be slow or fast and thus this level is divided in two sub categories 4S “slow build” and 4F “fast”.

Causes of a level 4S collapse could include:

1. global warming
2. beemageddon
3. nutrient shortages
4. hypothetical food systems failure due to genetic engineering or other biological or toxic element (aka “Interstellar” plot)

Causes of a level 4F collapse could include:

1. super volcano

LEVEL 5 – GLOBAL APOCALYPSE

A level 5 collapse involves a simultaneous and immediate global social, technical and ecological systems collapse. There is currently only one* conceivable event that can cause this scenario, global nuclear war, which with a combines the destruction of most electrical systems via multiple EMP attacks, massive destruction of life and infrastructure through nuclear detonation above cities and military targets, and ecological failure over much of the globe due to global dimming.

Causes of a level 5 collapse includes:

1. global nuclear war

*please contact me if you think of more Level 5 events.

Here is photo of a leaking 20L water container failing under use. The container was one of two I purchased from Kmart to use camping. I was moving water from my car to the camp site when one of the two containers sprung a leak. The container had only been used twice, carrying water for maybe 800 meters in total before failing without suffering any serious drops, knocks or scraps.

This failure illustrates three key things you should think about for all your survival or emergency equipment:

1. Purchase good quality equipment

2. Test all your equipment in realistic conditions prior to being forced to use them when you need to rely on the equipment for your survival.

3. Make sure you have redundancy built into all of your systems.

ISSUES EXPLORED.

1. Good Quality Equipment -  “A poor tradesman blames his tools”

The phrase “a poor tradesman blames his tools”, is commonly used to imply a tradesperson with poor skills uses his tools as an excuse for poor work. At times this may well be the case however when I started work as a young and poor gardener I initially could only afford cheap tools and soon found myself “blaming” them each time they failed to cut, bent or broke in use. I soon found myself purchasing the best tools I could buy, tools that would not break or bend within the first hour and that ultimately lasted for years when looked after well.

As a general rule the cheaper equipment the more likely it is to fail. Failure is a particularly important consideration for survival and emergency equipment, where failure at the wrong time could mean significant suffering or even death.

Price is generally a good indicator of quality but not always as some products are deliberately marketed at higher prices despite their poor quality construction and materials. If you have time, check reviews of any product you are interested in and check out the alternatives.

Also consider the design and manufacture of your product. For example is your product double stitched, does it feel strong and is it made with sturdy and durable materials. I recently was looking at purchasing a bug out bag for testing. I looked at three well know brands, one brand looked much stronger, felt much stronger and seemed to be made stronger than the other two – so that was the one I choose. Similarly one of the main reasons we have chosen to stock Schrade knives at our Survival Equipment Sales business is due to their durable construction despite their relatively cheap price.

Look for the weak points of the equipment before you buy.The water container in question had a plastic seam which looked like an obvious weak point when I purchased it and ultimately was where the item failed.

2. Testing you equipment

Regardless of how much you have paid for a piece of equipment or its reputation you should test all your equipment in realistic situations and test it more than once. By using your equipment you will see if it can actually withstand its intended use and if it fails have the chance to buy an alternative.

By using it regularly you will also get use to using your equipment. Under survival and emergency situations you need to be able to use your equipment without too much if any thought and use it correctly. The reason the military drills it soldiers again and again is so they can use their equipment without thinking. This means soldiers can for example fire, clear blockages and strip their weapons in extreme circumstances such as combat and also have more of their minds free to focus on other issues such as spotting the enemy while doing these tasks. The more you practice with your survival equipment the easier time you will have if ever forced to use it.

3. Redundant systems

If in a survival situation the breaking of a seam on your main water container could result in serious consequences. To help avoid negative situations arising around equipment failure or loss always have redundant systems in place.

The first redundancy option you might consider if seeking to carry or collect large volumes of water would be to use two water containers rather than one. Personally I choose to use a pair of 8L collapsible containers (pictured below) rather than one 20L container.

Why go for two containers?

1. You can choose to to use only one container at a time, leaving the other stored.

2. If one container springs a leak or is lost you have a second container ready to use.

3. Though you don't have to fill it all the way up, one container of 20L can be quite heavy to carry in one hand while two 8L containers are much more manageable.

4. If forced to flee you may consider abandoning one of your two 8L containers rather than try and hold on to your 20L container. Holding on to your 20L container full of water and making a fast get away is almost impossible, unless you are extremely fit and strong.

Other redundancy options include smaller water containers carried on your webbing, back pack or on a shoulder strap or carrying repair materials such as duct tape.

In conclusion choose the best quality equipment you can afford, test it in realistic circumstances and have back ups for every critical function you need. See our Survival Equipment Sales website for quality survival and emergency kits.